Transform Your Life with Hypnosis at Positive-Hypnosis
Sleep disorders
Some sleep disorders may interfere with normal physical, mental, and emotional functioning, and can be caused by external factors, such as anxiety, depression, trauma, or a life transition. The symptoms typically involve difficulties related to sleeping, including difficulty falling or staying asleep, falling asleep at inappropriate times, excessive sleep time, or abnormal behaviours associated with sleep. It is a relatively common disorder. Lack of sleep can have extremely debilitating effects on all areas of your life and cause mood swings, anxiety, irritation and depression and may occur for varying reasons.
a. Insomnia
Insomnia is a common disorder affecting up to 10% of the population and may result from a number of causes including:
• An inability to ‘quieten’ your mind leading to problems with switching off from daytime alertness
• If you experience sleeping problems for a period of time, the fear of the problem continuing can exacerbate the difficulty in achieving sleep
• Stress and anxiety
• Lifestyle and emotional issues
The pattern of insomnia experienced may differ:
• Difficulties getting to sleep at the time of going to bed
• Awakening during the night and subsequently being unable to return to sleep
• Waking early in the morning and being unable to return to sleep
Hypnotherapy can be used to quieten your mind when going to sleep and create changed, more positive thoughts and patterns around sleep enabling a feeling of alertness and being refreshed when waking as a consequence of achieving a better quality of sleep. In addition, the use of self-hypnosis and the encouragement of healthy sleeping habits (eliminate stimulants, regular exercise, structured sleeping patterns, etc) will usually be used to reinforce beneficial change. It is very important that any treatment is undertaken in consultation with a doctor where the patient is using prescription medicine or herbal remedies
b. Nightmares
A nightmare is a warning from the subconscious mind which may indicate a more serious trauma such as PTSD or a medical condition that needs to be treated. However, it may also mean that you have a need to release negative emotions or feelings and people who have not directly or indirectly experienced a trauma, can be treated successfully through the use of clinical hypnosis.
c. Night terrors
Night terrors (or parasomnia) are not nightmares as they have no visual content and usually occur within an hour of going to sleep, and whilst not dangerous in themselves, they can have a very frightening effect on the sufferer and those around them. Symptoms include waking in a state of acute distress (screaming, sweating, gasping, etc), rapid heart rate, difficulty in awakening fully and other debilitating feelings. Clinical hypnotherapy can be effective in the treatment of night terrors by identifying causes, assessing the impact and using powerful suggestions to reframe feelings of anxiousness, improve relaxation and change contributing behaviours.
d. Snoring
Snoring is a common problem affecting both sufferers and their partners. Causes can vary and may include sleeping position or being overweight. Clinical hypnotherapy intervention can be used to improve sleeping position or deal with weight, alcohol and smoking issues or desensitise a partner to the sound of the snoring.
e. Sleep apnoea
Sleep apnoea is a serious condition whereby airflow to the lungs is restricted during sleep
potentially resulting in cessation of breathing for brief periods and must only be treated in
consultation with a doctor.